To Comit a Crime Beyond Forgiving
by Shelkesamurai
Summary: This story takes place in Daxter. The game between Jak's arrival in Haven City and Jak 2. It covers Lyani's odd connection to the legendary artifact, the Evenlight, and the reasoning behind Erol's twisted dark side. ErolxLyani Part 1 of 4 in the series.
1. Death of My Purity

To Comit a Crime Beyond Forgiving

Death, Shadows, Horror. It was all around her. Metal Heads were storming the ravaged city of Haven. Yet,Lyani didn't care in the least. Despite the warnings Torn had given her, she still chose to remain in the warring side of Haven City.  
Metal Heads began to surround her, barking orders at eachother in a language she couldn't understand. Something began to pull at her. An odd darkness that wanted to be let out, and would shred her to pieces is she did not let it be so. This is what Torn warned her of.  
Too much excitment would bring out the unharnessed darkness within her. Her eyes flashed open as two smaller metal heads lunged at her.  
With inhuman swiftness, she jumped out of the way to a ledge uneasily reached by the vile creatures below her. She smirked at them as they roared their frustraitons, and began to find a way to get to her. Suddenly a dark tendril came out of a nearby pool of dark eco and lashed out at them, ripping two of them from the ground and into depthes of the pool.  
It...was escaping her. She began to strum a dark tune from her weapon's strings, making the eco dance for her. This dark artifact was known as Evenlight, the light within all darkness.  
As her song progressed, the Evenlight began creating a more complex tune that no ordinary strings could make. This resulted in more tendrils of dark eco lashing and ripping apart the metal heads.  
Lyani was quickly becoming something...stranger than herself. Her eyes began to glow an eerie purple, and small arcs of dark electricity started to dance around her, making her hair stand on end.  
Then, suddenly the world plunged into darkness! The Metal Heads that were left staggered around, blind in the pitch blackness of Lyani's music. She giggled maniaclly, her voice slighly altered by a dark entity.  
"Looks like I've found some new toys to play with." she shrieked happily, strumming faster, ordering the surrounding darkeness to attack.  
It did as commanded. Three dark figures morphed out of the dark everywhere, walking on powerful legs towards Lyani's attackers. The Metal Heads saw them as monstrous death, but it was hard to tell exactly what they were in the blackness.

(Just outside the front lines)

Torn listened to Lyani's disturbing tone over a communicator he gave to her. 'Damn! I knew this would happen!' he thought, unable to think of anything to do. He ordered his men on the lines to keep up the defense, then ran around the Slums to find Erol. He wasn't too hard to find.  
Looking over the main area he quickly spotted his neon orange hair and ran towards him.  
"Erol! You've got to hurry, Lyani's in trouble." Torn explained to him.  
Erol didn't seem worried in the least. "This is Lyani you're talkin' about. I'm sure she's fine." he said, shooting two metal heads square in the chest.  
"No, she isn't! She's gone Black. And she's in the hot zone you idiot!" he barked, handing him a syringe full of a mix of light and green eco. Erol's unconcerned face immediatly was replaced with one of worry."Damn it, why doesn't she listen to us! She knows this would happen." Erol hissed angrily.  
He immediatly grabbed the nearest zoomer and sped off in her direction.  
(At the Hot Zone)  
A dark cloud of menacing energy was creeping it's way across the ruins of South Town.

Hidden inside was destruction. Hate. Death. Inside was all of the KG's nightmares as they were swallowed up inside of it, and obliterated.  
Lyani was enjoying every moment of it. Insanity was slowly creeping it's way into her mind, corrupting her every thought, movement..even her own reality. The horror that she was witnissing seemed like a game. The guards blood curdling screams as their bones were stripped of flesh, and their minds were burned into nothingness. These guards watched her with nothing but sorrow and pain. Many of them had been her comrades. For months she had trained with them, gotten to know who they were,....and now she was ripping them to pieces without a second thought.  
She turned her gaze to a younger new officer. His mind, and body had never been tainted by the horrors of war. She smiled maliciously at him.  
"N..no. No! Leave me be, you beast!" he shouted, pointing the barrel of his gun straight at her.  
She continued to walk towards him, the cloud of darkness and the other creatures following her, hungrily eyeing the young officer.

"I mea..n it! Stay away! Or...I'll have to kill you!"

She chuckled at his hopeless behavior. "Go ahead then, shoot me...if you can."she hissed.

Then entire gun shook in his hands, his true fear settling in. He had the face of wounded pray, as it's nightmare slowly prowled in for the kill.

*Crack!*

The gun fell to pieces in the officer's hands.

Lyani kneeled inches from his face. "I told ya to shoot me, didn't I?" she spoke darkly.  
She then stood up, snapping her fingers sharply. "Kill him!"  
The sounds of the guard's curdled screams, her creatures roars of delight, and the tearing and cracking of the guard's mangled body filled her ears. It was the most beautiful music she had ever heard.  
The pure mania surrouding her was so wonderful. Of course, all good things must end.  
A sharp pain stabbed into the base of her shoulder,burning sensations spreading throughout her entire body. She let loose a foul scream, signalling to the dark creatures that their master was in peril.

But, as her strength over Lyani's body dwindled, so did the potency of the beast's manifestations.

Her last shred of dominion over Lyani's body vanished, leaving the dark beasts to writh and burn outside of their protective dark sphere.

She fell limp in her savior's arms, her body drained of any strength by the darkness.  
"Lyani! Lyani, come on wake up! You can rest later!" Erol shouted, helping her gain her balance.  
As soon as she was fully on her feet, he grabbed her wrist and took off.  
"E..erol. *cough* Wait.." she croaked.  
He kept on running. "What is it?"  
"Evenlight, it's still back there."  
"Forget that damned thing, did you see what it did to you! What it made you do to your comrades. If Torn wasn't tracking you, it would most likely be me and him ripped to pieces back there!"  
"I...I have to get it...so it won't fall into..the wrong hands." she whispered.  
Erol seemed to contemplate her statement. 'Damn it! She's right..'he thought  
He took a sharp turn back towards the cursed object, dragging Lyani along with him.

Erol nearly wrenched Lyani's shoulder from its socket as he sprinted along the muddy terrain of South Town. The buildings surrounding the two were scorched to the ground, smoldering in the pouring rain.  
Erol was having trouble keeping his footing, the downpour stinging his eyes. Lyani struggled to keep up with his fast pace. She could sense them getting closer to the artifact.  
The ground grew drier underneath their feet, permanently scarred by the dark eco that just moments ago marched across it. A high pitched shrieking sound erupted from ahead of them. Erol leapt behind a large chunk of stone that had fallen, pulling Lyani into his body so she dropped with him without making much of a racket. Her back slammed into his torso, knocking the wind out of him.  
Before she could apologize like she always did, he slipped a hand over her mouth, while peeking around the stone.  
Two queen metal heads and about 12 lesser ones stood watch. One of the queens, a flier perhaps, barked and hissed at the tiny metal heads below her. She stood about 25 feet tall, and 40 feet long from head to tail, her emerald scales shimmering as lightning danced across the sky. What was peculiar about her was her crest. Normal metal head Queens were simply larger versions of their offspring, but this one looked completely different. Her head looked almost reptilian, 8 horns branching out of her skull to form an intimidating frill. The other Queen seemed uneasy in her presence, her wasp-like head almost always bowed to the emerald Queen.

Erol watched silently as they chattered.

Lyani wrestled her way out of Erol's grasp, and peeked over the stone. Her eyes widened as she saw the emerald queen pick up Evenlight, seemingly a tiny purple jewel in her formidable claws.

She had to get it back. Sensing Lyani's new intentions, Erol pulled her back behind the large slab of rock. Another deafening shriek resounded through the area, as the Emerald Queen took flight. She circled around the area twice, then flew over the ruined walls of South Town. The much smaller queen stood watch behind, holding the priceless object in her claws. It was her job to safely get it back to their nest.  
She barked orders at the many metal heads around her. Half of the lesser ones dispersed from the area, most likely to look for more artifacts of power.  
"You ready?" Erol whispered, readying his gun.  
"You bet." Lyani said. If she was still weakened by the darkness, she certainly didn't show it.  
"3.."  
The queen planted her limbs into the ground, and started to lay eggs.  
"2..."  
The rest of the metal heads dispersed, slinking away to scavenge for food.  
"1!" Erol shouted, jumping over the slab of concrete, and into a fray of startled and confused metal heads.  
Lyani followed quickly behind him, pulling her sword from its holster.  
Erol shot from range, while Lyani cut down any metal head that dared step close to him.  
With the Queen stuck laying eggs, it would take her sometime to get back out of the ground and ready herself for battle. As Erol shot the last of the lesser metal heads, Lyani charged in. She flourished her sword in three quick motions, cutting off the huge bug's limbs, then reposted the blade into the bug's forehead, shattering the sickly glowing gem on top. She reached for Evenlight from the Queen's dead twitching limbs, when suddenly the ground began to shake violently.

Moments later, the Emerald Queen crashed down two meters from her, screeching at Erol who was shooting at her head. The bullets glanced off of her thick scaled carapace, some bouncing back in Erol's direction. "By the Precursor's. They set up a trap." she whispered. She charged at the beast, not really caring about her own safety.

"Die, you cur!!" she screamed, jumping onto her barbed tail, and running straight up onto her back.

The huge bug reeled, trying to pry Lyani from her back. The bug beat her magnificent wings, her rippling muscles forcing Lyani from her footholds.  
She fell, plummeting to the ground. Luckily, she had back up.  
She crashed hard into Erol, who barely had time to catch her. The Emerald Queen shrieked again, charging the two. They jumped away from each other, hopefully lessening the chances of the other getting hurt.

The queen's claws caught Lyani in the arm, ripping deep furrows into her flesh. Erol was lucky enough to save himself from the same attack, but left himself open.

With lightning speed, the queen stabbed her tail at him, the huge barbed tip burrowing itself in his calf, pumping burning fluids into this leg.

He screamed, the incinerating pain spreading into his hips. The Queen seemed to grin, as she ripped the barb from his leg, and swung it around to land in his torso. Lyani grasped her sword, sprinting in front of him. She caught the barb with her sword, causing it to bounce off. The Queen roared her frustration, charging them both. Lyani quickly grabbed Erol's pistol, slashing the barrel off of it and pulling out the red eco core that made it work. She tore off a piece of her shirt and hurriedly wrapped it around the tiny red core, then slammed it into a nearby slab of rock. A resounding crack was heard as the core fractured. Only two seconds till it burst.  
She swiftly threw the small core at the Queen. It exploded in the queen's face, charring her stunning green scales, and cracking the carapace around her face. The queen reeled back on her hind legs, scratching at her face as the liquid eco began to melt her scales. In a final attack, she took in a deep breath, her throat expanding. Lyani pulled herself and Erol behind the chunk of stone once again, praying it would shield them from the deadly blast. The attack never had a chance to finish.

The sounds of gunshots filled the air, as three Hellcats' flew in, all firing at the gargantuan queen. She quickly oriented on her new targets, letting lose her deadly breath weapon. The huge torrent of hot yellow acid bathed one of the hellcats, eating away at its engines, causing it to explode. The other two continued to fire at her. Soon she took flight again, hoping to retreat. "Akal jul, Narak!!" she screamed, disappearing into the night.

Lyani breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to Erol.

She gasped as she realized how bad his wound was. The barb had penetrated deep into his calf, the hot acid charring the inside of the wound, puss and acidic blood oozing out onto his uniform.  
Out of instinct she tore her other sleeve off and began to wrap his wound. He yelped as she pulled tight on the make shift bandages to seal the wound.

"Sorry, I suppose I should have warned you." she said apologetically.  
"Don't worry about it. You don't need to apologize about everything you do." Erol said, swallowing the pain in his leg.  
She pulled his arm over her shoulder and helped him limp over to their fellow KG comrades.

They seemed to ignore them, until Lyani took hold of Evenlight.  
All of them pointed their rifles at the pair.  
"H-Hey! The hell are you guys doing?!" Erol barked, confused.  
"Don't worry Lieutenant, just hand over that little artifact and you can go home unscathed." Baron Praxis explained.  
Lyani grasped Evenlight tightly.  
"Last time I checked Praxis, you weren't high enough rank to issue orders to the Krimson Guard. Only Damas rules over us!" Lyani retorted, showing her KG badge.  
"Huh! You're still just as rebellious as you were when you were a child little Lyani, but I'm afraid that Damas has abandoned you. He saw the metal head onslaught and ran. He left us behind to die."  
"That isn't true! Damas would never do something so thoughtless. He is a wise and virtuous man, far more respectable than the likes of you!" Erol hissed.  
"Bite your tongue Lieutenant! Or I'll have these officers fill you with bullets before you can blink." the Baron threw back. "Now, I have seen your abilities Lyani, and how you cannot control them. It is because the very artifact you hold in your hands now that you have been cursed. I'm sorry to tell you this, but you must now be kept in containment." he explained, faking a sad tone.  
Lyani knew exactly what was going on. The Baron had never been a very good liar, especially not now. With the attacks of the metal heads, and the sudden disappearance of Damas. The only answer could be that the Baron was behind it all. He let the metal heads through to attack the city, and used his rogue guards to drive Damas out, so he could assume power.

Fear began to settle in her gut, as she realized just how much danger she and Erol were in. She wasn't terrified of giant Queen metal heads, and the immense darkness within her. Yet, what the Baron had done shook her to her very core.

"Lieutenant, I suggest you come into the new Krimson Guard. You will serve as my Commander. You do this, and I will keep Lyani alive inside my prison."  
"You won't lay a single finger on her, you monster!" Erol shot back venomously.  
"Lieutenant...I really don't like your tone."  
"Heh! You don't like my tone? I suppose you won't like my bullets either then!" he said, pulling his spare gun out of its holster. The KG all pointed their guns at him at once.  
Lyani threw Evenlight to the side, it didn't matter anymore. She grabbed Erol's wrist and yanked him along, sprinting away as fast as she could. Luckily, the new bandages supported his wound enough to let him run at a fair speed. KG began to come out everywhere. Every turn she took there were two or three. Eventually she became flustered, and Erol took the lead. He knew this part of the city much better than she did, even if over half of it was a burning heap of wood and bodies. He evaded countless guards, until finally they both came to a dead end.  
Death surrounded them, a pool of dark eco on one side, and the Baron and KG on the other ready to kill them if necessary.

"Come with me and your friend's life will be spared." the Baron shouted.

Erol was glaring at him coldly.

"Erol...please...go.." Lyani whispered, desperately.

Erol ignored her, standing protectively between her and the Baron's battalion of rogue guards.

"Erol, go now!" she shouted, her voice cracking. He looked back at her, a bit unsure of her words.  
"Listen to her Erol, she seems to know what is best." the Baron said darkly.  
Lyani nodded at him, showing him it would be ok. He closed his eyes, and exhaled slowly. Then, surrendering, he dropped his gun and walked towards the Baron.

"FIRE!!" The Baron roared. Lyani closed her eyes, expecting this to happen, and only urged Erol to leave so he wouldn't get hurt. But, the bullets never came. Instead, she felt a warm liquid splash onto her neck and shirt.  
She opened her eyes. She tried to scream, but her horror choked her.  
"No..."she rasped.  
Erol stood in front of her, his arms spread wide to form a human shield for her. There was blood spilling out of his back and shoulders. His wounded leg had received two bullets. She could see his blood spreading throughout his uniform.  
"I had a feeling...that he was going to do that." he choked. Blood began to trickle out of his mouth.  
Lyani didn't understand any of it. Why would he do this.  
"..why?.."she shuddered, tears were forming at the corners of her eyes.  
"Hey...don't be like that. I'm not..worth your tears. Plus, what kind of crappy guy would I be to just leave you to die. I wouldn't be able to live with myself." he coughed.  
She shook her head, trying to force back the tears. "No...no! You can't do this!" she cried.  
"Just..remember. Never die alone. Okay?" he rasped, forcing himself to speak even as blood began to fill his lungs.  
"Please...don't..." she whimpered  
"Sorry...I have to go..." he said weakly.  
Finally, he succumbed to his wounds and fell. Lyani caught him, falling to her knees. She held him tightly, as rain began to fall harder, the lightning more violent.  
"Erol...please..." a horrid sadness began to settle in her heart as she didn't hear a response. The rain grew icy with his body.

"Erol don't...you can't die on me..." she sobbed.

Thunder began to roar, sending the sky reeling.  
"EROL YOU CAN'T GO!!!" she screamed, desperation flooding her voice. She sobbed uncontrollably. This couldn't be happening to her.  
Heavy footsteps became apparent to her, and her eyes flashed open. Three of the rouge guards stood in front of her, one of them chuckling.  
"S-Stay away from me! You cannot take him!!" she shrieked, slowly losing her sanity.  
"Get him! Take the girl as well. They will both suffice for my experiments!" the Baron barked.  
Lyani clung desperately to Erol's cold corpse. "Go away..." she quietly pleaded.  
They violently tore her away, the two of them keeping her restrained while the other hauled off Erol's body.  
"Are you sure this will work sir?" the guard carrying Erol's corpse asked.  
The Baron lifted up on of Erol's eyelids, then examined how cold his skin was.  
"He's not dead yet. That makes things much easy, hurry him to the medic station!" he bellowed.  
The guard did as ordered and ran for the nearest hellcat.  
The other guards dragged Lyani to the Baron.  
"Now, you and that little artifact are going to earn me the respect I deserve."  
"I refuse.."she coughed.  
"I am your ruler now, you will do as you are commanded. I will break you until you obey."  
"You will never rule this city. Damas will come back and claim his rightful place upon the throne!" she spat.  
He signaled something to the Guards behind her. They drove the metal butts of their guns into her spine, forcing her to kneel.  
"If I am not your master, then why do you bow before me."  
She screamed at him, lunging to rip out his throat.  
One of the guards slammed her in the head with his gun, knocking her unconscious.  
She landed in the Baron's arms.  
"Was that so hard? Now to begin the Dark Warrior Project." he said, moving Lyani into a hellcat, while her guards retrieved Evenlight, and delivered it to the palace.  
(Torn's P.O.V.)  
Torn had followed the two into South Town.

He had seen everything they did, and hated the fact that he didn't help them.

After he saw the Baron the rest of his memories were just a blur.

First they aimed their guns at Lyani, then at Erol.

They shot him after his surrendered.

He heard the words he spoke loud and clear.

"Never die alone." he said. He wanted to run in and save them both, but he feared that if Lyani lost both of her friends that night, she would surely lose her sanity and destroy Haven City.

He had to leave her to the Baron. It was a risk he regretted, but had to take.


	2. New Potency

(Nearly 3 years later)

A tall, heavy set figure stepped into the dark prison room. He flipped the lights on, stepping to a nearby monitor. He typed in his password, and opened up the file on the figure sitting in the testing room a few feet from him. He glanced over it, the computer's feminine voice reading over the contents.

Name: Lyani Cerulyn

Age: 19

Hair Color/Eye Color: Black. Dark Brown

Occupation: Experiment # 4, possible Dark Warrior.

Family: Deceased, or Unknown.

Affiliation: None

The man smiled, then pulled on a lab coat, and stepped into the testing room.

Two other figures stood at the rear door, one was tall, and lithe. Fit for fighting.

His sharp golden eyes judged the comatose figure on the table.

The other was a young female, in her twenties maybe. Her hair was pulled back in a short ponytail, and her eyes watched the girl on the table with fascination and slight horror.

"Well, hello Commander, hello Ashelin." The scientist said, pulling goggles over his eyes, and handing the Commander a clip board.

He blinked at it in minor confusion, till Ashelin took the board and signed it, handing it back to the scientist. She nodded at the man, "We're ready to see our Dark Warrior."

The scientist nodded, "I'm glad you got here in time. Our new potency of dark eco would have spoiled if we were to wait for the Baron."

The Commander blinked, "New Potency?"

The scientist nodded, "Oh yes, you see, with a fair mixture of blue eco and more concentrated dark eco, we have come to the conclusion that we can make the Warrior more successful for survival. Previously, we only used unrefined Dark Eco. It was foolish in my opinion, seeing as we were only putting fuel into the other experiments. With this one...we bring actual Life into the mix."

The scientist's eyes brightened as he said the word, 'life'.

The Commander suppressed a glare, and looked back at the female on the table, worry flooding his countenance.

The scientist gestured for them to move further into the room, while he fastened the bindings around the girl's wrists and ankles. He placed a small needle into the girl's arm, and she instantly woke, staring wildly up at the scientist. He patted her head, and smiled, then stepped back to a different monitor, where the controls for his machine lay waiting.

The Commander flinched, looking uncertainly at the scientist, "Is it required that she be awake for this process?"

The scientist blinked, confused by his words. "Why of course Commander. If she were asleep, the Warrior's cells would not be active enough to receive the eco properly. Yes...yes, she must be awake."

The Commander nodded, letting out a disappointed sigh. He watched the young female glance warily about; frowning at her, knowing her pain was his fault.

The scientist had reached his computer, and was now typing furiously, implementing commands into the computer. Two canisters of eco, one blue and one dark, loaded themselves into the many needles of the eco injector. The machine whirred and clicked in various places, preparing for its assault on the body below it. The female glared up at it, as if challenging it.

The scientist put his hand onto a small lever, and counted "3...2...1" and pulled down.

The room lit up with blue and purple lights, the sheer force of the impact of eco in the girl's body causing her chest to cave into the table. She clenched her jaw, baring her teeth. She would not lose.

The bolt of eco intensified, spreading through her limbs, burning every cell, contaminating every fiber of her being. For what seemed like hours, she resisted, glaring and laying without a movement except when the eco's intensity physically moved her.

The scientist pulled the lever down further, and the bolt brightened, alighting the girl's entire body with dark blue electricity. She held for only four seconds, then her jaw faltered, her eyes pooling with tears.

The Commander shut his eyes tightly, unable to bear seeing her like this. Her screams of utter pain, and confusion nearly drove him insane. His hands curled into tight fists, and it took every bit of his power to stay rooted to where he was. So desperately, did he wish to help her. He wanted to smash the scientist's face in, shut off the machine, and cradle the girl in his arms. To assure her it would be alright.

But...that was wishful thinking...

His eyes remained shut as the figure in front of him writhed, and struggled to free herself. Her screams echoed throughout the entire prison. He felt Ashelin inch closer to him, the vision of the girl's struggles most likely terrifying her.

He took a polite step away from her, and kept his head bowed towards the floor.

The room dimmed slightly, the blood curdling screams becoming quiet whimpers. The eco had run out, and now the scientist was hurrying to implement new commands. A small needle full of clear liquid stabbed into the girl's left arm, causing her to only flinch. Her chest hitched in tiny breaths, small jumps that looked as if her chest was about to collapse in on itself. Her entire form shook involuntarily from the pain, various muscles still convulsing randomly from left over eco charges arcing through her.

The scientist smiled, as the computer stated, "Experiment #4. Success. Dark Warrior status has been achieved."

He walked to the gasping figure on the table, lifting an eyelid to see if she was still awake. As he did, her entire body made a furious jolt, and the metal bindings snapped off. Her hand curled around the scientist's arm, and 5 inch claws burrowed into his forearm, imbedding them into the bone.

He yelped and pulled away, the claws coming out, drenched in blood.

The Commander seemed dazed, only blinking at the new situation. The girl had changed, so suddenly.

Her dark hair was now a bluish metallic silver, her skin a light violet, instead of its supple peach tone. She stumbled from the table, inching closer to the scientist. Ashelin had retreated towards the door, yelling for the Commander to follow.

He did not.

Only when the girl's pitch black eyes landed on him, did he choose to move.

Bright purple slits glanced over him for a moment, as he fled for the door.

She grinned back at the scientist, stretching her claws out.

He bolted for the door as well, the figure behind him shrieking madly.

"Oh, please. No!...wait!-he cried.

The Commander glanced at him, then quickly shut the metal door on him, the demon and the scientist colliding into it a second later.

He grit his teeth, grimacing as he heard the sounds of rending flesh and cracking bone. Ashelin stood a few feet from him, gasping for air.

"W-what was that..Erol?" she managed.

He glared at her, emotions of anger and grief playing across his features. His golden eyes hardened, and he whispered through gritted teeth, "That...is your Dark Warrior."

Twenty minutes later the Baron arrived, two guards in tow to escort Ashelin elsewhere.

Erol stood inches from the window, staring blankly at the demon that clawed at the glass, baring its teeth and smashing its fists into the sturdy window. Her eyes were manic, her hair standing on end. She smashed into the glass once, then huffed out a angry sigh, and stalked toward her table, her eyes locked on Erol.

He finally shut his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest in an attempt to keep his heart from tearing itself in two.

The Baron stared at the demon, "Beautiful isn't she? Such power...Once she is tamed, she will truly be our edge against the Metal Heads."

Erol glared at the Baron, "Pardon my words, Baron, but how do you think we can 'tame' her. Look at her! What I am seeing now, is a beast that has been locked in a cage too long! If we let her loose, she'll kill the city, not the Metal Heads!"

Praxis blinked at him, then grinned, making a small, nearly unnoticeable gesture.

Two guards stepped through, and behind Erol.

The Commander's ears perked up, his eyes sharp on the guards, a hand instinctively landing on the gun at his hip.

The Baron smiled, his eyes faking kindness, "Soon you will see, Commander."

Erol's golden eyes shot back towards the guards, and pulled his pistol. He fired once, taking out one of the guards. The other whirled behind him, smacking the butt end of his rifle into the back of Erol's skull.

Erol fell to the ground in a heap, the guard hefting him up, and dragging him towards the Baron.

Praxis eyed the unconcious Commander, "It's your turn now..."

With that, he smiled at Lyani, watching as her body began to slightly change, her eyes wide with surprise and misery. She inched towards the glass, as Erol was dragged beyond her sight.

She whispered, "No. Not him..."

Her eyes flared, and she crashed into the glass once more, and the Baron simply roared in laughter.

"You will both serve well."


	3. The Darkness that Binds Us

Erol woke with a jolt. He glanced around new surroundings with groggy eyes. He was in one of the Palace rooms, dressed in a new uniform, his shining Krimson armor waiting for him on a desk. He cradled his head, an odd darkness filling up inside. He tried to recall the evening's events.

His eyes widened as he remembered everything. Painful images of Lyani's torture raced across his mind. He shut his eyes tightly as the image of her dark form made an appearance. She was so wild, her eyes void of any emotion except to kill. What had he let them do to her?

Then he remembered getting knocked out. Hazy images of a being dragged through the halls of the prison filled his mind. He saw himself being loaded onto a table much the same as Lyani's, and his mind flared. He grit his teeth, as he waited for the burning pain to subside. Even thinking about what the Baron had done to him brought back the incinerating pain of the Dark Eco.

Yet…he felt no urge to kill the Baron. What had they done to him? He recalled the scientists saying something about a Command Word, like a minor hypnosis. Was this something new the Baron was trying to figure out? Was Praxis going to make him a mindslave…?

"No!" He thought. He couldn't allow himself to lose focus. It was his job to get Lyani out of the prison. Neither of them belonged here. He glared at the door to his room.

"The Baron doesn't belong on that damned Throne either…"he mumbled, standing and putting his armor on. He blinked curiously down at the desk, a small note revealing itself from underneath the armor. He leaned back on the desk, reading it.

"I'm not sure what they've done to me, but don't worry. We'll make it through this together.

I remember saying that once…never did I realize how much pain it would cause the both of us.

I'm sorry you saw me as a Dark Warrior, and I fear for what he may have done to you.

I pray to the Precursors that you are alright. Stay safe.

P.S. I Love You

-Lyani

He blinked, smiling down at the letter, his eyes warming to a molten gold.

"I love you too…Lyani." He whispered, pocketing the letter, and sliding on his mask.

Lyani sat silently in the locked room, shivering as an updraft of icy air caressed her new form. She silently prayed that her letter had reached him. Lyani had had the very shadows deliver it for her.

She gazed at her violet skin, the world a new shade of colors. She saw in shades of black and purple, the outlines of objects coming out in stark blues and violets. Certain parts of the room lit up as various prisoners awoke, their auras contributing to Lyani's new sight. Her fingers twitched, her long claws making quiet tapping noises on the metal table. Another icy draft came up, blowing her light bluish hair around. She glanced up to where the breeze was flying, and smiled.

"It's time to leave." She whispered, in a voice that was not her own. "My sweet, your waiting shall be over soon…"

She stepped to the very edge of the platform, the long fall below her glowing a deep pulsating purple, as if inviting her in. She grinned, and fell, her arms wide.

Shadows surrounded her, and coalesced into dark wings, the cold internal winds guiding her up and out of the locked room. When she landed, her wings folded neatly into her back, and vanished into the trail of shadows that constantly followed her.

With a quick glance, she was able to tell she was in a vent of some kind. It was large enough to stand in, but hard to see. Not much energy flowed through here…Lyani was nearly blind.

She guided herself by touching the walls. She concentrated on the feeling of the Evenlight, and followed it.

"Too long have I waited to hold you in my arms, my dearest…your pain will end soon." She whispered in a sing song voice.

She stepped on an odd feeling object, and suddenly noise filled her ears, blaring, and white as if someone had ripped a band-aid off over her eyes. She flinched back, trying to see past the horrid noise.

She could see a small pulsing violet light through the white walls of sound, and she followed it, cringing the entire way.

Lyani stepped into a dark room, less lit by sound, filled with the comforting soft blue lights that emitted from the Evenlight. It hummed with intensity, the lights changing to a bright purple as its master inched closer to it. She smiled, her purple slits flaring. Taking the last step towards the dark artifact, she picked it up, pulling it into her lap as if a child. Three of her claws coalesced with darkness, forming into needles that could play the delicate, fragile strings of the instrument.

She closed her eyes, and gently plucked the strings, soft, creeping lullabies spreading through the entire prison. Dark, and menacing, but absolutely gorgeous in their own right.

The alarm continued to ring, and she heard the rushed sounds of boots come from behind her…

Erol darted from his room as the alarm began to blare. The lights had gone out on this floor, and he struggled to see where he was going. Something dark inside of him kept him from taking his chance of escape.

Soft, tempting music danced along his ears, easing the intrusive darkness out of his mind, replacing it with something new. A desire. Something unexplained. The music called to him…it was familiar.

As if a trained dog, he bounded towards the music, stopping at a room coalesced in pitch darkness. He glanced inside, staring at the small, shadowy form of his lover. Or at least…it was in body.

The music gained a creepier tone, light bell tones mixing in, as if a tune played from a jewelery box. It was beautiful. It was the song Lyani had played for him, so many years ago.

He stepped inside…

Lyani stopped her strumming, her head darting back to stare at the new visitor. His eyes literally glowed through the purple storm she had created. The bright gold shined wonderously through the thick clouds of shadow. Around those eyes, another darkness crept. Black, and shifting. Uncertain, and unreliable, as if it stayed only to obscure, rather than to assist.

She wondered how it kept those golden eyes in check. It somehow kept the rest of the body from being bathed in the same golden light. Something was wrong about this figure…

His light..it was missing.

Erol took another step into the room, then another. He strode in cautiously, his eyes never leaving hers. Her gaze followed him every step of the way, till he stood mere inches from her.

His eyes wandered to the Evenlight, then back to Lyani. She simply blinked at him innocently.

Smiling, his eyes warm, he reached up, and caressed her cheek with a gloved hand.

Lyani blinked, unsure of the sudden warmth touching her cheek. All she could see was the forboding darkness, and the shining golden eyes. What was touching her?

"She wants you..to come with us. To escape.." she whispered, the same dark voice over shadowing Lyani's.

The eyes seemed to dim slightly, and a wondrous, rich voice whispered,

"Something within me does not allow me to follow you, my Love. I don't know the reason why…all I know is I have no desire to follow."

The figure in front of her was suddenly illuminated, bright yellow and crimson filling her view. Baby-soft peach skin, decorated in neat bluish gray tattoes sparked a memory. Neon orange hair awoke her sight.

Warm, inviting golden eyes captured her, and she simply blinked at him.

"She does not understand why you do not follow us…but I think I do. Something Praxis did, your darkness serves him…not you. Your Darkness is weak…and tame. I must go…she loves you."

With that, she pulled her arms around him, kissing him lightly, then pulled away before he could root her to his body.

Erol blinked as her warm lips touched his own, if only briefly. He smiled at her, trying to reassure her, even if his eyes were confused. He touched his forehead to hers, his mask pushing some of her hair back.

"I love you too Lyani. I will never forget you. Now, go! Before he finds you."

"She wonders why you wish to stay…it brings her sadness. Your words hurt her…they bring tears. She will never forget you either…she will be back to save you. Stay safe..until then." She whispered, before picking up Evenlight and crashing through a huge glass window. He watched silently, the obscuring darkness flooding over him. He obidiently stepped to the front of the room, where the Baron watched, waiting.

His eyes seemed hard now, iced over by some unknown force.

"Do you wish to pursue her, my Baron..?" he said in a low, emotionless voice.

The Baron grinned at him, knowing his experiments of the mind had worked.

"No, Commander. The Promised One will be arriving shortly, we have no need for number Four any longer. Prepare the machine for Experiment 5! I have some urgent business to attend to!"

Erol bowed his head, "As you wish."

Lyani landed softly on the uneven streets of Haven City. She glanced around, then retreated to the shadows, the dull lights of the dying city ushering her to look away.

She curled into a pitch black corner, letting the last of her darkness hide her. She pulled her knees up to her chin, clutching onto a small charm Erol had given to her as a child. She buried her head in her knees, and began to weep, not knowing if she could truly save her friend from what the Baron had wrought.

She had broken her promise…and left him alone.


	4. The Exterminator

Lyani wiped at her dry, irritated eyes. She had cried for hours, long enough even to let her body revert back to normal. There was a nearly permanent mark imbeded into her skin where she clutched her friend's charm so tightly that she nearly drew blood. Her body hitched with one last sob, and she sniffed, eyeing her surroundings. At first it seemed like a comfortable little hidey-hole. But now, she realized she was in the middle of a digging sight. She glanced around for her sword and found only the shining Evenlight. She glared down at it

"This is your fault I'm in this mess! Your fault that Erol will be hurt!" she shouted at it.

The guitar-like artifact glowed with a slight illumination, and she heard a manic voice whisper in her head.

"You're lucky I didn't kill the squabling, depressed little thing you call a mate! I even left him with a kiss to remember you by! And this is how you thank me...?" it hissed.

Lyani clutched her head as it punished her for her transgression. After a few moments of burning pain scorching her mind, she stood, grasping the cursed artifact and eyeing her surroundings. Haven City wasn't far. She wondered how she had gotten so far away in the first place, and assumed that in her dark, grief wracked state, she had simply ran here. With a nod to herself, she started to explore.

Jumping over a brief rocky outcrop, she landed on two large wooden planks. She looked out, admiring the slightly deserty environment of the work sight. She couldn't identify what they were trying to build, but then again, it really didn't matter. A slight skittering sound alerted her of another life form, and she whirled. Six nicely sized, barely armored insectoid creatures hissed and clacked in front of her, snapping their claws eagerly. They looked like metal heads, but they seemed inferior in many ways. More like really big bugs, rather than the impressive beings she had seen as a KG officer.

Lyani reached for her blade, then spat an extremely rude epithet as her hand closed on air. She realized she was barely dressed. Only the prison garments covered her form, and she was in no shape to be fighting these creatures. She pulled her arms up in a defensive position as Erol had taught her and waited patiently for her first attacker to come.

The spider-like critters hissed their glee, and two jumped at her. She stepped a few inches back, forcing one to land again. As it did, she kicked her leg out, her foot snapping the neck between two hard armor plates. The other landed on her back, ripping at the thin fabric that covered it. Before it had the chance to mar her, she rolled, her mere body weight crushing the insectoid. She hissed as the acidic blood began to eat away at he top. With a frustrated growl, she pulled it off before if could scar her skin, only leaving a black bra to cover herself. Three others advanced on her, one of them missing. She stepped back into her stance, catching one on her arm and throwing it into an nearby metal pillar. With a sickening crack the arachnid's back snapped, and it flopped to the ground, now useless to its comrades. Lyani yelped as the other two both bit into her leg. With the foolish urge to escape the pain, she threw herself to the side, kicking her leg madly to shake them off. One successfully flew off, but the other had its jaws wrenched deep into her calf.

An unsettling whisper entered Lyani's mind, and two dark electric bolts flew at the bugs. The one that had been thrown screamed in pain as its entire body was scorched to ash. The other was hit hard enough to come loose, but not enough to be killed. Lyani ignored the now bubbling gash in her leg and stood in her stance once more. The little insectoid chittered at her, and lunged at her again. This time she was well prepared. As it came within range, she ducked and threw her fist upwards towards its exposed underbelly. Her fist literally penetrated the weak armor beneath, skewering the bug on her arm. Lyani cried out as the acidic blood ate away at her exposed hand. She threw the shrieking insect from her hand and cradled it, trying to staunch the pain by burying it in the cool sand of the dig site.

Only to be bitten again. The missing critter jumped out of the sand and bit into her hand, snapping two fingers in its jaws. Lyani surpressed a yelp and brought her other hand down onto the bug's skull. With a gross crunch, it caved in, causing more acid to bleed onto the already burnt and broken hand. She grit her teeth, and picked up her acid drenched shirt. She ripped off a piece that wasn't soaked by the gross material and wrapped her hand. She glanced down at her leg and cringed. It brought horrid memories of that night back...

With a dismissive wave of her good hand, she wrapped her leg in the remaining clean fabric and stood up. Her ear twitched as she heard a cat call from behind her. She looked behind her, confused that there was no one to be seen.

"Mmmm...I do love a ferocious woman who can use her hands!" a teenage sounding voice said from no where. "Wanna try some moves on me, sweetheart?"

She glared about, wanting to slam the idiot who said these things in the face with her fist. The voice cleared its throat.

"Down here sweetheart...see? I'm the portable, doctor of love!" it purred. She glanced downward, her eyes widening at the odd creature she saw. It stood about 2 feet high, barely reaching to her knee. It had bright orange fur, covering it from head to tail, and a less bright yellow underbelly. Its eyes were large and round, and eyed her as if some adolescent male looking for some naughty fun. Before she could ask, the creature walked up to her.

"Daxter! Nice to meet you...uhm.."

She eyed him with distaste, and finally gave up her name.

"Lyani. Lyani Cerulyn." she stated plainly, still a bit confused as to why this thing could talk. The weasel type thing carried a long stick, ending in a sparking tazer. A green liquid filled canister was strapped across his back, and he eyed the insect corpses as if he was meant to kill them. Before she could ask him, Daxter grinned and waved his little "electric fly swatter" in the air.

"I'm an exterminator! Now what is a kinky girl like you doing out here in the dust with nothing but your pants on? Certainly you aren't a damsel in distress just waiting for me to come around?" At this Daxter grinned. "Or are you...?"

Brief nausea spread over her, and she looked back towards Evenlight. She stepped away from the ottsel, who in turn followed her, whining that she wasn't answering his question. Daxter gulped and stepped behind Lyani as they both came into eyesight of the dread artifact, Evenlight.

"I grow impatient..." it rasped within her mind, as she grabbed it by the neck and walked back to Daxter. His eye twitched in fear as he realized what she was.

"Y-your...that escaped prisoner..aren't you...the..the dark one that supposedly mangled innocents?"

Lyani's eyes grew dark with grim understanding. "I killed no innocents..but yes..I am the creature you speak of. If you leave me in fear, then I understand."

Daxter frowned at her sudden tone of defeat. He walked up to her, and reached up to touch her hand, only barely able to do so. "Don't worry about it sweetheart...everyone's got their dark secrets. You look like you need some new clothes and some food. Let's get ya back to the city."

For a rodent, he was surprisingly caring. Even in her darkest mood, this ottsel managed to sneak a smile onto her face. With a tired nod she picked up Daxter, and balanced him on her shoulder. Daxter's eye seemed to twitch with some memory, but he quickly buried it, resting a hand on Lyani's head to keep his balance.

"I know a few people in the KG district that can help you. If we hurry we can get there before night fall!" he stated, squnting his eyes as winds started to stir up the sands of the dig site. With an absent nod, she tightened her grip on Evenlight and sprung from her perch, despite her wounds. She landed softly about ten feet below, and sprinted towards the city gates. She had no idea what fate had befallen her dearest...but there was no way she could help him if she didn't first help herself. Only a few miles and she could sate her thirst and rest her aching body.


	5. Misery in the City

Lyani's lungs burned by the time she had reached her destination. She had mainly stuck to the shadows, only coming out into the dim lights of the city when Daxter deemed it necessary. She could see the building where she was to get to a few feet away. It was small...rather unimpressive. There was a saloon across the street from it, and her stomach rumbled.

"heh, is somebody hungry?" Daxter asked, teetering over her shoulder. Lyani shrugged, causing Daxter to nearly lose his balance. With a deep sigh, she stepped out into the light, and opened the door to the tiny building. A stout figure that looked something akin to a holiday figure stepped out.

"Well hello, Daxter! Who is this?" the man spoke. He had a long white beard, and a surprisingly cheery, young face for a buisness owner in Haven City. He smiled widely, holding his hand out to shake.

"Where are my manors? My name is Ozmo.." he eyed her as if he knew her. "And..if I'm not mistaken, you're the prisoner that escaped a week ago..." Daxter immediatley jumped off her shoulder and in front of her.

"We can't turn her in though! Who knows what they'll do to her!" he whined, staring puppy dog eyed up at Ozmo.

"Oh-ho. I never said I was going to turn her in. I was just saying I recognized her...what's your name young lady?" he said with an inviting smile.

Lyani had been caught up in her own thoughts, staring blankly at a wall. She came to her senses as Ozmo cleared his throat. "o-oh! I'm Lyani...Cerulyn. And..yes. I'm the escaped prisoner."She whispered the last with a bit of worry. Ozmo seemed to have already moved on.

"Well Daxter! I've heard there's a number of bugs hiding out at the strip mine! I want you and...if she doesn't mind of course..Lyani to go looking around there and kill all the bugs you find!" he said, pulling out a larger fly swatter/tazer for her to use. She eyed it with some distaste, and wished for her sword, knowing that it was locked away in the Prison somewhere. Ozmo saw her face and slowly placed the weapon back into the box it came in.

"I can see your thinking on something. Daxter can handle himself...why don't you go get some rest at the Tavern across the street hm?"

With a slow nod, Lyani rose and walked out of the tiny building without a word. Too much longer, and her memories would have forced her to break down again. An intrusive voice quickly whispered in her head.

"Yooouu..left me in the dark...after I helped you! Why...am I alone?!" it shrieked. Lyani clutched her head and gazed towards a dark corner where she had hoped to hide Evenlight. It pulsated with sickly purple energy, and seemed to hiss as she stepped closer to it. She picked it up and strode towards the Tavern, hoping to find some cheap food and mabye a bed for a night or five.

Within the Palace

Erol watched silently out at the dreary gray world that Haven City had become. So much life had been taken away, death and crime ran rampant, and he did nothing to stop it. Inside, something told him he needed to. That he needed to fix the atrocities he had committed. Another part of him, much more substantial, told him his thoughts on anything didn't matter. Only the Baron's orders and social status mattered anymore.

He touched a gloved hand to his lips, trying to recall desperately what they had touched. Something wonderful, that tasted sweet, yet no matter how hard he focused his efforts, he came up with no answer. With a dismissive sigh, he strode out of his room and down towards the prison rooms.

He took a glance at his hand, remembering how the new prisoner, and potential "Dark Warrior" had literally bit him trying to get away. He and his men had managed to get a name.

"Jak…such a pitifully simple name…" Erol cursed, pondering everything the Baron wanted him to do. His orders were to watch over this wretch, evaluate the Metal Head weakness, and find the heir to the throne of Haven. So much to do…he had little time for himself.

He felt an odd obscuring darkness float over his thoughts, blinding him from continuing the thought process. There was no time for him…only for the Baron.

Back inside the Tavern across Ozmo's business

Lyani stared at her broken hand, noting the slight throbbing.

"Is there anythin' I can do for ya, deary?" a bar maid with golden locks asked her. Lyani's deep brown eyes stared at her with barely controlled misery, and she replied with a simple "No."

The maid nodded, seeming to be almost brought to tears by the girl's mood. Lyani cursed herself and trudged up the stairs to her room. For only two precursor orbs a night it wasn't too shabby. A bed, a shower, and a small kitchen to prepare food. She noted that the woman she saw was probably running this business out of her own home.

"Rrrreemind…you of ssssssomething…you once…had..?" Evenlight whispered, trying to force Lyani's memories onto her.

It worked. Lyani's eyes teared up as she remembered her childhood, and everything that had come to pass since then.

"Do…you remember the taste..?" it hissed.

Lyani clutched her head, barely certain as to what the dread artifact was trying to point out. An odd recognition darted through her mind, and the pain was broken. She opened her eyes, staring at the lightly thrumming Evenlight. What happened? Her hand idly reached up to touch her lips, a spark of memory arcing once again through her mind as she did so. She felt a far away connection, and a new misery as the area suddenly went cold again. She slowly curled into a dark corner, and closed her eyes, light sobs escaping as her mind went over the last week.

"E-erol…I'm so sorry…I broke our promise..I-"

"He won't heeaar you! He has no desire to do so anymore! Surely only me is enough for you!? We have eathother…riiight?" Evenlight whispered.

Lyani clutched to her necklace, the one thing she had managed to keep a hold of during her imprisonment. She felt a comforting warmth envelope her, as she touched the necklace and thought of him. He had promised her it would do that for her…if ever she needed him. Then…the warmth too, faded away. Lyani swallowed, tears spilling over her cheeks.

"Erol please…don't go…" she whispered, burying her head in her knees.

Evenlight pulsated slowly, stating in a rasping voice.

"He isn't…coming back…He will never…come back."

Lyani's sobs became louder, a sound portraying horrid grief intertwined with regret. She wanted to remember good times with Erol, but all she could remember was his words in death. A cold chill floated over her like a malevolent ghost, a shattered remnant of Erol's cold corpse lying against Lyani's body that terrible night so long ago.

"The Baron sssstole him from you…he gives nothing back…"

Lyani desperately tried to block out Evenlight's voice, but deep down, she somehow knew Erol was lost to her. She wanted to believe she could go back, and save him from the dark crimes the Baron had wrought into her friend's body. With a shaky voice, she stared at the ivory charm.

"I..c-can't fight you…Erol. I'm sorry…" she whimpered, letting the comforting darkness of Evenlight envelope her.

In the Prison Rooms

Erol strode down a barely lit hallway, with two other guards. His trained eyes scanned over the many names on each door to find Jak's. His golden optics stopped on a different name.

The tag read "Lyani Cerulyn".

"I c-can't…fight you…" a distant voice echoed within his mind. His hand touched the tag, guilt wracking his thoughts.

"Someone you recognize sir?" an intrusive voice of a guard said, pulling him out of his strange trance.

He eyed the tag once more, trying to place the name. Deep within his heart, he knew it. He knew it better than anyone else did.

With a defeated and confused voice he spoke. "No…I don't."

He looked back at the guard and with an absent nod, resumed his stroll down the Prison halls. Soon, he would present the Dark Warrior to his Baron. And this time…it wouldn't escape.


	6. Wake Up

To Commit a Crime Beyond Forgiving

Chapter 6:

**Wake Up**

**A **deep breathing resounded throughout the deep caverns of the underworld, beneath Haven City. Tiny bugs, blind as bats in the darkness, skittered along the walls, and winged reptilian creatures danced through the air, guided by the fleeting light of dangling cave fungi. A bellowing roar echoed across the vast tunnels as an ancient being awoke, his armored form scraping against cave walls that had formed around him as he slept. All life within the tunnels went silent, as he broke his way out of his tomb, shaking old scale and ancient rock from his body. His eyes flashed open, a bright, gleaming gold, lighting the caverns, and sending many creatures scattering. He let out a resonating sigh, lifting his head up towards the distant city of Haven, miles above him.

"The Evenlight has awoken …" he whispered to himself through reptilian jaws, a hopeless tone to his voice as he ascended through the caverns of his underworld

()

Lyani tossed and turned in her sleep, her body sweaty, her hands clutching the soft sheets on her bed. She was having a dream. The same dream she had had since she ever touched the Evenlight. She stood in the very middle of a vast cavern, made of black stone. The gargantuan size of this cavern was so huge; it could've housed at least four Haven palaces. Around her, stood six figures, all large reptilians in appearance. Two of them, the largest, looked like twins, one of them white, with blue horns, and the other, black as night, with purple and deep red highlights on her scales. The four others, stood about twenty feet shorter than the other creatures, each of them colored like the various types of eco of the planet. Yellow, blue, green, and red. Next to Lyani, in the middle, was the Evenlight, pulsating as it always did. The reptilian creatures seemed to be conversing about something, but the first few moments of the dream were always silent. Then…ever so slightly, their voices faded into existence.

First, the great white spoke.

"The Evenlight is an artifact, made to protect the new denizens of this world! I will not see that it is corrupted by Elor." Her voice spoke, ringing like heavenly bells.

The black creature shook her enormous head.

"Elor is the father of the Precursors. You speak of him like he is evil, sister! You have no proof that he is behind the darkness that has befallen our Universe!" she hissed, baring her fangs.

The green chuckled hoarsely. "And we are to believe that, Eris? You betrayed us once before, tainted by the very eco you were charged by the Life Master to protect!"

Eris stomped a huge foot onto the ground, and it would've smashed Lyani, if she wasn't a mere dream image. She bared her fangs, snarling.

"Do not speak of me in such a manner, Hetmoseph! Light Eco cannot corrupt, it can only heal."

Hetmoseph hissed. "Then explain why the new race of this world speaks of a dark leviathan that plagues their cities, and rips hope from their souls! There are none among us who have proven themselves subjects for such a title besides yourself and Elor!"

"ENOUGH!" The white one shouted, her eyes flashing silver, and fading back to blue. "There is no way of telling who, or what is plaguing our species, and cursing it to attack the denizens of this world. But we must think of our survival." She took in a deep breath, her glittering white scales shining a little. "There is a new general among them…one who has taken the name, Mar. He wields our life energy like it is his own, and we are not sure of who could've taught him its secrets. For now, he only fights to defend his city, against the corrupted ones of our kind. But soon, I fear…he will come for us. And as the Ancients of Eco, we mustn't let that happen."

The red took his chance to speak, nodding to the white one.

"Lady Caladria. Perhaps for now, we should let them fight, observe them. It will take their race some time before they could possibly find their way into the Catacombs."

Caladria shook her head. "I agree with you Hak'ri, we must watch…and wait." She frowned deeply, staring directly at Lyani, as if staring into her soul.

"Whatever happens. We must hide the Evenlight. If only we could make a pact with Mar…somehow. He is the only true one who could keep it safe for us. For I fear…it is what corrupts us…"

Eris's eyes flashed red, and she lunged for the Evenlight. Lyani was frozen in fear as the black leviathan's teeth closed around her miniscule form…

She jumped up; her eyes open as wide as they could go in fright. She did what she could to control her breathing, noting her soaked bed. She brought a hand to her neck, then touched her chest.

"Pulse…heart racing…still alive." She breathed, lying back against her soiled pillow. The woman who owned the room she was in was kind enough to lend Lyani the place for an extra day, free of charge. Lyani at first protested, but after some consoling, she agreed. After all, she barely had enough to purchase food for herself, let alone pay for a bedroom every night.

Her black hair stuck to her sweaty face, and she wiped some of it to the side, glancing out the small window. The sun was just beginning to rise, turning the edges of the horizon pink, and the rest of the sky a soft violet. She wrestled her way out of the sheets tangled around her form, a result of the night's fitful sleep.

Once she was free, she stumbled awkwardly to the window, opening it and popping her head out. She took a deep breath of the crisp, early morning air, still cool and wet from the fog of the night. It was refreshing from the obtrusive heat inside her room. Her eyes slowly followed the guards that patrolled the streets, even at this early hour. The city of Haven, never truly slept. As her eyes followed them, she found herself touching the black pendant dangling around her neck. She peered down at it, sighing sadly, and pushing away from the window. She glanced off to the side of the room, staring at the Evenlight. It pulsated as usual, but not at the same frequency. It did not whisper to her, or hiss as she approached. It seemed almost docile. It had always been this way, locked in a lethargic peace that lasted anywhere between a few minutes, to days, after Lyani had had that dream.

She let her fingers trail down the deep purple metal surface, the strings singing even with the delicate touch she was administering. If it was in anyone else's hands, the Evenlight could've been mistaken for some cheap instrument, for the way it was currently acting.

"I suppose all of us have to sleep sometimes, don't we…" she murmured to herself, pulling her clothes off, letting them fall loosely to the floor. She walked quietly towards the bathroom, turning the nozzle to let water start flowing. She stepped inside, her body stiffening at the icy temperature. If she wasn't awake before she entered, she certainly was now. She grabbed the bar of soap, lathering some of it between her hands and running it through her hair.

"Oh, w-w-what I'd g-g-ive for a hot s-s-hower…" she muttered through chattering teeth as she rinsed the remainder of the soap from her hair. She stepped out, drying her hair as best she could with an already damp rag, pulling the unruly mess into a tight ponytail.

Once dressed in her ratty old boots, black trousers, black tank top and a worn brown trench coat, she grabbed the Evenlight, wrapping it in its cloth bindings to hide its identity, she headed downstairs.

As she descended the steps, the delightful smell of freshly baked bread and the oat smell of newly brewed ale filled her nostrils, and teased her stomach. The owner of the Inn, the blonde woman smiled up at her.

"Mornin' lass. Anythin' I can do for ya?" she called to her as she walked towards the exit.

Lyani flashed her the best smile she could, which wasn't very impressive, and slightly lopsided.

"No, thank you. I'll be back a day or so. Please, if you need to, rent my room to someone else." She spoke quietly, exited the Inn.

She jumped in fright as Daxter dashed for her, leaping up and landing with odd efficiency on her shoulder.

"So what're you planning on doing with your day, sweet cheeks? Wanna have some furry fun with Orange Lightning?" he nearly shouted, grinning at her sheepishly.

She put her hand in the way as he tried to kiss her cheek. "No thanks."

She continued walking through the streets, glad that her clothes were so trashed. If they hadn't been, the guards would notice her for sure. Daxter tapped her head.

"Ya know, you shouldn't be so uptight. Half the guards patrolling at this time a day are drunk off their asses, or so tired they don't care who walks by. And on top of that, you look like most of these lower class women. The worst they'd do to you is make a comment about how bad you smell." He chided

She sort of growled at him, glaring up at him. "Do you –ever-, stop talking?"

A million things dashed through his mind for possible replies, but he decided on keeping quiet from the purple flash he saw go through Lyani's pupils. It was hard to remember that this young woman was an experiment of the Dark Warrior project.

The two walked through the city for hours, until finally they came upon the Palace District. The sun was at its highest point, and there were barely any guards out now.

Daxter scratched his head. "Why'd ya stop? Finally decide to succumb to my adorable fuzziness?"

Lyani answered him with a quick shrug, knocking him from his foothold, and dashed for the Palace.

Daxter's ears drooped as he realized what she was doing, and was quick to follow her. There was no way she'd get in and out of there a second time without help…

_Today's Inspirational Music!_

_Legend of Spyro-_

_The Eternal Night Menu Music and/or Celestial Caves Music!_


End file.
